Frank a



(No Model.)

f'. A. FOTS.

CIGAR HOLDER.

N0. 368,467. Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

" compressing the handles.

lUivrTnn STATns PATENT Ormes.

FRANK A. FOUTS, OF VASHINGTON, DlSTRlC'l OF COLUMBIA.

ClGAR-HOLDER- SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,467,dated August 16, 1887.

A ppiraion tiled July- 9, i887.

Serial No. 243,858. (No model.)

T0 all when?, may concern.-

Beit known that l, FRANK A. FOUrs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Iinl'nevements in Cigar- Holders; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ol' theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappcrtains to make and use the same.

My invention is a shield cigarholder `in the form of a clamp; and itconsists in the parts which will be hereinafter described, and pointedout in the claims.

My present invention is an improvement on the article shown and claimedin my Letters Patent of the United States, granted June 7, 1887, andnumbered 364,50l.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents an elevation of myimproved cigarholder held between a thumb and finger, showing the twoplates or sections pivotally united and thearms or handles lapped andsecured together bya rubber band. Fig. 2 represents a plan view oftheholder with the handleslapped and lying together, (one handleimmediately over the other,) whereby the central opening, which receivesthe cigar, is enlarged. rlhe dotted lines in this view represent theparts contracted to their normal position, as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3represents a plan view of one of the two plates constituting the holder.Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the holder engaged to apartlysmoked cigar, the holder and cigar lying on a fiat surface, thefire end of the cigar being elevated above the surface. Fig. 5represents an edge view of the holder having a partlysmoked cigartherein.

The object of this invention is a holder which may be easily engaged toor disengaged from a cigar. By its use a cigar may be consumed to asmall fragment without liability of burning the smokers mustache orlips, and said fragment discharged from the holder by Like my otherinvention, referred to herein, the holder is a .handle for a cigar, andby its use a lighted cigar may be laid. down without liability ofburning the material on which it is laid. It also permits the smoker topnt the cigar between his lips, whereby he may enjoy the full tlavor ofthe tobacco.

Referring to the drawings by letter, like letters indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

rlhe body of the holder is formed of two semicircular plates, A A,recessed ont on their respective inner sides at a., so as to form anopening, B, for lthe reception of a cigar. Each plate is provided withan outwardly-extending handle or aim, O, formed integral therewith; alsoprovided on its outer side with a small projection, D, whereby a recess,E, is formed. Each plate i's also provided with an opening, F, for thereception of a pivotal piu or eyelet, G.

H represents an endless rubber band, which is engaged around the holderand seated and secured within the recesses E. 'This rubber is preventedfrom displacement by the projections D.

The holder, as shown, is made in two parts, each part being thecounterpart ot' the other. The two ends, having openings F, are lapped,as shown, and pivotally united by a pin or eyelet, G. The two parts ofthe body of tlfe holder opposite from the pivotal point (being themovable ends) and the handles projecting therefrom are lapped andcrossed and held in arrangement is such that when the two plates arecontracted to their normal position by the rubber band the opening forthe reception of a cigar is contracted to its minimum-that is to say,contracted so as to clamp and secure a cigar of comparativelysmalldiameter. Said opening may be enlarged, however, to admit and conform tocigars of larger diameter,or to discharge a cigar'. This is effected bycompressing the two crossed handles between the thumb and iingerthat isto say, by pressing the handles together one over the other. Suchmovement turns the plates on the eyelet or pivot and enlarges theopening B by moving the plates outward edgewise, and 'causes the lappedends of the plates to move one over the other. Said movement alsoexpands the rubber band. yWhen the opening is so en- 4larged, a cigarmay be inserted therein to any desired extent, and when the cigar issuitably adjusted and seated and the thumb and finger released from thehandles, the spring, acting on the two parts of the holder, willcontract the said parts and lessen the opening B and cause the edges ofsaid opening to bind and.

position by the rubber band aforesaid. The' IOO clamp a cigar therein.It will be observed ception of a cigar may be enlarged to a greaterextent.

The respective inner recesses, a,which form the opening B, are cut so asto conform to cigars of diiferent diameters and angles. If each recesswere semicircular, the opening for the reception of a cigar would belimited in one direction, (to wit, in a line with the handles) to thewidth of the opening formed by said recesses. By forming each recessirregular, as shown, with an outward cut in the direction of thehandle-that is to say, an outward cut whose plane is nearly at an angleof forty-five degrees from the plane of the inner edge of its handle-theopening may be en larged in all directions to any reasonably-desiredextent, or contracted so as to conform to an exceedingly small cigar. Bymeans of this outward or extended cut the opening formed thereby ispear-shaped when the same is enlarged to any considerable extent.

The rubber band performs a double function in that it contracts theplates and holds their lapped sides together, and also holds the handlesin proper position. By means of the pivot and rubber band the lappedfaces of the two plates are held together contiguously, whereby whensaid plates are actuated the clamping-edges will move in the same planeto and from each other less the thickness of a plate. By thisarrangement a cigar may be irml y and securely clamped between-the edgesof the plates, or discharged therefrom when desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United Statesl. As an article of manufacture, acigarholder consisting of two connected plates, each recessed on itsinner edge, whereby an opening is formed between the edges of the platesfor the reception of a cigar, and a spring for actuating said plates soas to engage a cigar in ihe opening aforesaid, substantially as speci-2. As an article of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting ofpivotally-connected plates, each recessed so as to form an opening forthe reception of a cigar when the plates are closed, and a spring forcontracting said plates so as to clamp a cigar, substantially asspecified.

3. As an article 'of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting ofpivotally-connected plates provided with recesses which form an openingfor the reception of a cigar, a spring for closing the plates, andhandles for actuating said plates so as to enlarge and contract theopening aforesaid, substantially as specified.

4.v As an article of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting of two platespivotally connected and recessed on their inner sides so as to forni anopening when closed for the reception of a cigar, the end of each plateopposite from its pivotal end being provided with a handle, said handlesbeing lapped and crossed, substantially as specified.

5. As an article of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting of two plates,each provided with ahandle and recessed on their inner sides so as toform an opening between their edges when closed for the reception of acigar, the ends of said plates opposite from the handle ends beingpivotally connected, the handles being lapped and crossed, and a springfor actuating the plates so as to contract the opening aforesaid,whereby when the handles are forced toward each other said opening isenlai-ged and when the handles are released the opening is contracted,substantially as specied.

6. The combinationof the plates A A, pivotally connected and providedwith inner recesses soas to form an opening, B, for the reception of acigar, also provided with recesses E, for the reception of a rubberband, and the rubber band H, seated in the recesses E, each plate Abeing provided with a handle, C, substantially as specied.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. Fours.

Vitnesses:

M. P. GALLAN, WVM. A. SMITH.

IOC

